Process for rolling rail-joint bars.



W. J. BRADLEY.

. PROCESS FOB. ROLLING RAIL JOINT BARS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 8,4913. v 1,094,053, Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. J. BRADLEY. PROCESS FOR ROLLING RAIL'JOINT BARS.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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W. J. BRADLEY. PROCESS FOR ROLLING RAIL JOINT BARS.

APPLIGATION EILED Nov s 1913 Patented Apr. 21, 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET a.`

W. J. BRADLEY.

PROCESS PoR ROLLING RAIL JolNT BARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W. J. BRADLEY. PROCESS FOR ROLLING RAIL JOINT BARS.

. APPLICATION YILBD NOV. B, 1913. 1,094,058. Patented- Apr. 21, 191i A 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J'. BRADLEY, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 THE BAIL JOINT COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A'COBPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS FOR ROLLING RAIL-JOINT BARS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application led November, 1913. Serial No. 799,951.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BRADLEY,

` a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Rolling Rail-Joint Bars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of rail joint bars of the type clamping the rails firmly at the center of the joint only, leaving the balance of the joint withY no clamping action.

In the production of rail oint bars of the character referred to, it is proposed by the present invention to provide a simple and economical process that maybe carried out mainly in the passes of a rolling mill, which process is continuous in its operation and provides means whereby a joint bar may be formed in such way as to effect its rail splicing and rail supporting functions by securing a novel shaping and disposing of certain portions of the metal shape, but at the same time not weakening the bar at any point. The final form of the bar having the structural characteristics referred to is secured by severing the bar at predetermined points.

The process of the invention may be carried out in different ways without departing from the spirit or principle thereof, but to illustrate one practical means of employing the process, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in whichp Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the set of finishing rolls of a rolling mill having leader and final passes specially designed to carry out .the present process, the roll parts being drawn to a special scale for illustrative purposes to emphasize the shape, size and relation of said passes. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the portions of the rolls forming the leader and final passes, showing the narrowest part of the circular wedge within the pass, said View likewise being drawn to a special scale to emphasize the shape, size, and relation of the passes. F ig. 3 is an enlarged view of the final pass showing the widest part of the circular wedge within the pass. Fig. 4 is an end View of the metal shape or bar as delivered from the leader pass and as received by the final pass with the small part of the wedge projecting therein. Fig. 5 is an inner side elevation of l the metalshape or bar shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 1s an end view of the metal shape or bar as delivered from the final pass and illustrating the same as affected by thelarger part of the circular Wedge when the latter projects into the pass as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an inner side elevation of the bar section shown 1n Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the bar severed into rail joint lengths. Fig. 9 is an end View of one of the railjoint lengths of Fig. 8 showing by full and dotted lines the base member moved from open to closed position. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the bar projected from Fig. 9. Figs. 11 and 12 are` an end and projected elevation respectively illustrating a modification of` the invention vwherein the metal pass has the base member thereof closed to its final plane. Figs. 13 and 14 are views similar to Figs. 11 and 12 showing the bar with the closed base member as delivered from the final pass and as affected by the circular wedge.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. l

The present process includes the preliminary development of a bar blank in the passes of a rolling mill until the .bar reaches aform wherein it includes the splice member a, an inclined iange b, and a base member c. This metal shape, according to the present invention, is given its approximately final form and size in the second last or leader pass P of a set of mill rolls A, B, and G. The walls of the leader pass P have the A.structural characteristics of the meta-l shape shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings whereby the splice member a is given an enlarged substantially finished form, the inclined fla-n e b of the metal tion and form but is also left with a surplus of metal therein, and the base member c of the bar is likewise left with a surplusage of metal in order to admit of the further reductions provided for by the next succeeding or final pass of the said rolls', which is designated by the reference character F.

The final shaping pass F presents different structural characteristics from all preceding passes. The tonguing roll B, forming a wall of this final pass F, is provided with Patented Apr. 21, 1914.v

shape is given substantia ly its final inclinav shape or bar as delivered from the leader 1 `mum width or thickness, thus presenting not only the structural, but also the functional, characteristics of a' double circular Wedge that rolls within 'the rentrant groove d formed between the flange b and base memv ber o of the metal shape. Accordingly, it will be perceived that the metal shape as delivered from the pass P has formed therein from one side, a rentrant vgroove d,

which is of uniform shape and size throughout, with both walls thereof in .thesame f plane throughout. When this shape-is in'- .troduced into the final ass F, the tongue 1 of theroll B travels wit in the said uniform groove d, and, by reason of its rolling wedge characteristic, entirely alters the character of the groove d. That is to say, gradually spreads or widens the latter at regular intervals so that there is formed throughout the length of the groove d, alternating constricted channels 2 and bowed -widened spaces 3, which latter taper in both directions from their centers to meet the conmstricted channels aforesaid. This novel and peculiar formation throughout the oove d of the Arolled bar is shown in Fig. of the drawings, as well as the distribution of the metal which is effected by the different por- :tions of the iinal pass. In this connection, it should be noted that in the last pass the ydouble-wedge tongue 1 not onl spreads the groove between'the iange and ase members of the bar at intervals, but also extends and displaces the metal of said members, the metal being 'so distributed inv this reduction as to leave the bottom of the base member as it was when leaving the leader pass. .Also, it should be noted that simultaneously with the shaping and reducing action of the double-wedge feature of the roll of the final ass, the final pass also proportionately rel uces the splice member to its final size.

The metal `shape of Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings is in its finished form, so that the next step of the process consists in shearing or cutting the bar into lengths at points indicated bythe dotted lines o-c on Fig. 7 of the drawings, said dotted lines intersecting the centers of the spaces 3, at their maximum width, so that the bar length between any pair of the lines c--c will present a taperlng effect having certain practical functions in rail jointr structures.

The cut bar lengths are shown in Figi 8 of the drawings, and it will be understood that the inal step in the preparation of. each length for use as a rail joint bar consists in moving the base member of the bar to its closed or iinal plane.as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. This operation is `one that is well known in the art ,and may be performed for instance by a 'hull-dozing machine or press.

As far as the essential features of the process are concerned, the same may be car- .ried out regardless of whether the base member c of the met-al shape is in the open or angularly disposed posltion shown inFigs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 inclusive, or in the closed position illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive of the drawings. With a bar of either of these shapes, the rolling wedge effect of the tongue 1, within the groove d will be the same as already described.

As'y already indicated, it is to be understood that other means and instrumentalities might be employed to carry out the hereindescribed process without departing from the spirit or principle of the invention, the hereindescribed instrumentalities being simply used as an illustration of one method by'which the process may be performed.`

I claim: f

1. The process of manufacturing rail joint bars which consists in first rolling a bar to approximately its final rail clamping shape, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to alter the bar whereby rail-clamping portions are left in alternate areas, and subsequently severin the barv at approximately equal distances rom said rail clamping p0rtions. f'

2. A process of making bars for rail joints which consists in subjecting a metal blank to a roll pass producing a bar having a flange member and a base member separated to form a uniform groove therebetween, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to widen the said groove in alternate areas, and subsequently severing the bar at the maximum width of said alternate areas.

3. A process of making bars for rail joints which consists in subjecting a` metal blank to a roll pass to produce a bar having a splice member in its final shape and a flange and base member separated to leave a uniform groove therebetween, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to widen the said groove in alternate areas, and subsequentlyV severing the bar at the maximum width of said alternate areas.

4. A process for making bars for rail joints which consists in subjecting a metal blank to a roll pass to produce a bar having a splice member of final shape and a flange member and base member of unfinished size and spaced apart to leave a uniform groove therebetween, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to widen the said groove in alternate areas, and subs uently severing the bar at the maximum width of said alternate areas.

5. The process of making rail joint bars which consists in subjecting a metal blank to a roll pass producing a bar having a splice member, a ange member and a base member, with the lange member and base member separated to form a uniform groove therebetween, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to reduce the splice member and to widen the said groove in alternate areas, and subsequently severing the bar at approximately the maximum width of said alternate areas.

G. The process of making rail joint bars which consists in first rolling a bar to a shape approximating its finished rail clamping shape, but having a greater angle between its rail seating base portion and its flange portion than in the finished bar, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to alter the bar whereby rail clamping portions are left inalternate areas, then sev' ering the bar at approximately equal distances from said rail clamping portions, and finally moving each rail seating portion to .at the rail clamping partially close it and shape the bar to a fit portlons.

7. The process o which consists in subjecting a metal blank to a roll pass proucing a bar having a making rail jointl bars 25 ange member and a rail seating base portion separated at a greater angle than in the finished bar, then subjecting the bar to another roll pass to alter the bar whereby rail clamping portions are left in alternate areas, then severing the bar at approximately equal distances from said rail clamping portions, and inally moving each rail seating portion to shape the bar to a fit Aat the rail clamping portions.

n testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J BRADLEYv Witnesses:

E. F. SGHERMERHORN, C. HOWARD NASH. 

